#ABNQ33 Chapter 33

I was pretty sure my mouth was hanging widely by the stunt Kitty just pulled. Akala ko nasa isang sulok siya at nagmumukmok dahil sa ginawa ni Simon, but why did I ever forget how vindictive Kitty was? Of course she wouldn't let this pass without getting even. Typical of Catty Kitty.

And now, we're all staring at Marcus.

"Dun ka nga," Kitty said, pushing Marcus para maupo sa bakanteng upuan sa tabi ko. Na akala mo hindi president ng Student Council na kinabibilangan niya iyong lalaking tinutulak-tulak lang niya.

"What are you—" Simon said, but Kitty was quick to snap at him. Kahit hindi ako iyong tinitignan nang masama ni Kitty, nakaramdam ako ng takot sa kanya. She's really a force to reckon with.

"It's called returning the favor, Simon," she calmly, but scarily said. "You kept on preaching about tolerating? Ito, i-tolerate niyo," sabi niya bago itulak nang isang beses pa si Marcus hanggang wala nang magawa iyong tao hanggang sa maupo sa tabi ko.

Literal na napaawang na lang talaga iyong bibig ko sa mga nangyayari. I was so focused on what was happening, but it still didn't escape me how everyone in the cafeteria was staring at our table.

President ng Student Council at captain ng basketball team ay nasa iisang table. Of course people would look! Ano ba naman kasing naisip nitong si Kitty!

"Sabi ko sa 'yo, totoo 'yung chismis na may girlfriend na si President," narinig kong bulong—though ang lakas ng boses nila! "Ayaw mo pa kasing maniwala na may binuhat siyang babae nung isang gabi, e. May LQ pa nga yata sila nun 'di ba kasi umiiyak daw 'yung babae."

Nanlaki iyong mga mata ko. Bwisit na mga high school students 'yun! Nagawa pa kaming ichismis!

Dahil sa lakas ng boses nung dalawang babae, sure ako na narinig ng buong grupo iyong sinabi nila. And the guys were all staring at me like I just committed a horrible mistake!

I looked at Psalm, and I could see how tightly he was holding his phone. I could also see his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, and him controlling his breathing.

Oo nga pala. Kilala niya si Marcus. Mabuti naman alam niya iyong nararamdaman ko kapag nandyan si Kia. I didn't want to be petty, but still, there's this small voice inside me that was rejoicing that at least, Psalm knew how it felt to see the person you like with someone else.

Sucks, doesn't it?

"Alis na lang ako," Marcus said, standing up. At saka lang naputol iyong pagtingin ko kay Psalm nang marinig ko na magsalita si Marcus. He probably was feeling the tension because damn, it was too palpable not to be felt.

"Umupo ka," Kitty said. Agad na napaupo si Marcus. I wanted to laugh kasi ang laki-laking tao ni Marcus tapos president pa, pero tiklop kay Kitty. Little boss talaga 'yung kuting na 'yun!

"Sabi ko nga..." Marcus whispered as he took back his seat.

"Sorry," I whispered.

"Bakit ba ako nandito?" Marcus whispered back.

"Hindi ko rin alam, e."

Nagbubulungan kami ni Marcus. Our faces were few inches apart when we heard someone clearing their throat. Agad na napabalik iyong atensyon ko sa kanila nang mapansin ko na naka-tingin silang lahat sa amin ni Marcus.

"So, as I was saying, since ang kalakaran naman pala sa grupong ito e pwedeng magdala ng ibang tao, then isasama ko na si Marcus palagi. I expect that you guys will be in your best behavior dahil mabait naman si Marcus at wala naman siyang ginagawang masama," parang nagsesermon na sabi ni Kitty. I could see the confused face of the guys. Like they wanted to ask questions, but at the same time, 'di rin nila alam kung saan nagsisimula.

"This is unfair. You know that—"

Kitty dangerously arched her brow. "I know that what?" masungit na sabi niya kay Simon. "May problema ba dito, ha, Simon Alejandro?"

Bigla akong natawa.

"Nagagawa mo pang tumawa?" namamangha na tanong ni Marcus.

"Napapagod na akong malungkot, e," I replied.

Lumambot iyong ekspresyon sa mukha niya. "Okay ka na ba?"

I nodded, and smiled at him. "Yeah... Thank you, ha? Sorry din 'di ko na-replyan messages mo. Nung Monday ko lang nakita, e."

"Tss. Sanay na ako na 'di mo nirereplyan."

Natawa ako. "Ay grabe siya. Talent mo magtanim ng sama ng loob?" sabi ko tapos nginitian niya lang ako. I noticed that he wasn't wearing the stud in his ear. Tatanungin ko sana nang marinig ko na tumatawa si Kitty.

"Tignan mo mga 'yun, sobrang pikon," Kitty said. Napaawang na lang iyong labi ko nung mapansin ko na kami na lang mga babae at si Marcus iyong nasa table.

"Nasan sila?" I asked, my brows furrowed because I seriously didn't notice them leaving.

"Umalis. May practice daw ng basketball," Kitty said, grinning. "Sige na, Marcus. Pwede ka ng bumalik sa council room."

Napaawang iyong labi ko. Grabe naman siya! Pinapunta lang dito tapos papaalisin agad?

Natatawang naiiling si Marcus sa sinabi ni Kitty. He stood up. Ang bilis din kausap nito, e. Ganoon na lang 'yun? Ayos lang sa kanya na literal na hinatak lang siya ni Kitty dito tapos aalis na siya?

"Alis ka na?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yeah... Hinatak lang ako niyan, e," sabi niya sabay turo kay Kitty na ngayon ay busy na makipagchismisan kay Anj. Akala mo wala siyang gulong dinulot dito, e!

Tumayo na rin ako. "Alis na rin ako."

Napaawang iyong labi ni Marcus. "Sasama ka na naman sa 'kin?"

Natawa ako. Ang feeling din ng isang 'to, e! "Sumama lang ako ng isang beses sa 'yo, feeling mo sasama na ko palagi? Pupunta akong lib," I said. The NMAT was drawing nearer, and I was really, really nervous. But being nervous just made me want to work harder. Kasi kung kinakabahan ako nang ganito, it just means na sobrang gusto ko 'to. And I should really work for it.

Kinuha ko iyong gamit ko. Maliit lang talaga iyong bag na dala ko kasi mini-macbook, notebooks, and pens lang naman ang laman ng bag ko. Pero ngayon, dala ko iyong mga hiniram ko na libro sa lib dahil nga mag-aaral ako, so bitbit ko lang sila sa kamay ko.

"Kitty, alis muna kami."

She waved her hand dismissively. "Sige, bye. Ingat kayo."

Napaailing na lang ako sa kanya. Nagsimula na akong maglakad nang mapansin ko na medyo malayo sa akin si Marcus.

"Ang layo mo naman," I pointed out because he was being weird about it. I mean, magkasama kami pero ang layo niya sa 'kin. Like he was keeping a safe distance between us.

"Tinitignan tayo, e," he pointed out. At saka ko lang napansin na tinitignan nga kami ng ilang mga tao.

"Ah..." I just said. Baka siya iyong tipo ng tao na ayaw sa chismis? Baka nga. President siya ng Student Council, e. Ayoko rin naman na mapahamak siya dahil sa 'kin since he'd been nothing but nice. "Sige, una na ako," I said instead.

I walked faster para maiwanan ko siya, but I was surprised when he caught up with me. Napa-tingin ako sa kanya habang naka-kunot ang noo. "Ano'ng ginagawa mo?" I asked.

He stared at me for a while. I stared back. Ang ganda ng pagkaka-tan niya. Sobrang lalaking-lalaki iyong dating nitong taong 'to. Ano kayang trip nito at bakit napadpad sa Tinder?

I didn't know for how long we were just staring at each other. I was just fascinated with his looks... kasi hinding-hindi ko talaga naimagine na ganito iyong itsura ng president ng council sa school. Mas mukha talaga siyang fuck boy kaysa sa school nerd!

Marcus cleared his throat. Pansin ko rin na namumula iyong pisngi niya dahil sa pagtitig ko sa kanya. Tss. Siya 'tong nangungunang tumitig palagi, tapos pag ginantihan, mamumula.

"San ka ba?" he asked.

"Lib," I said.

He nodded. "Ako na d'yan," he said, then pointed at the books I was holding. Hindi naman siya mabigat kaya sabi ko 'wag na. "Sigurado ka?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah... Baka mas lumala pa iyong chismis na girlfriend mo raw ako," I said, shaking my head sa bilis gumawa ng kwento ng mga tao. Girlfriend agad? Porke magkasama?

I thought Marcus would agree with me na sobrang ridiculous nung chismis na 'yun, but he just grinned!

"Oo nga, e..." he said, grinning. Sobrang contradicting nung sinabi niya sa reaksyon sa mukha niya.

My phone vibrated.

Matt:

San ka?

I wrinkled my nose upon reading his text. Pagkatapos nilang magwalkout, tatanungin ako kung nasaan ako?

I was probably staring at the text for far too long kaya napansin ni Marcus na may mali. But I didn't want him to get the idea na may kinalaman siya sa mga nangyayari kasi wala naman talaga... The guys were really just... overprotective? Hindi ko alam.

"Sorry sa kanina," sabi ko. "Hindi ko naman alam na isasama ka ni Kitty, e..."

Hindi naman tanga si Marcus. Alam ko na alam niya na rin kahit papaano iyong dahilan kung bakit sinama siya ni Kitty kanina. But still, he wasn't asking anything about it. And appreciate that very much. He was letting me have the control, and not being intrusive about anything.

"Okay lang," simple niyang sabi. Nilagay niya iyong kamay sa batok niya, at alanganing ngumiti. "Sige, baka may kailangan ka pang kausapin, e."

I bit my lower lip. I felt bad because I felt like Marcus was thinking that it was partly because of him dahil sa paghatak sa kanya ni Kitty...

Marcus turned his back, and began walking when I called his name. His steps immediately halted. Like he was just waiting for me to call his name. Like he was expecting that I'd do.

"Sorry... if you feel like you're being used or something..."

He turned around. There was the usual smile on his face.

"It's fine. I'll be whatever you need me to be," he said in his gentle tone. The one that can calm me when my nerves were getting the best of me. He was looking at me, his eyes smiling. "And if it's someone you can cry on, I can be that."

I pursed my lips, not knowing what to say.

"I'm always just a Tinder-message away," sabi niya na nakapagpa-ngiti sa akin. I bit my lower lip because I was smiling so bad. Alam na alam niya talaga iyong sasabihin para mawala iyong tensyon.

"Oo na," I said, shaking my head while biting my lower lip.

Marcus grinned before saying goodbye. Marami pala talaga siyang ginagawa sa council plus palapit na iyong finals exam, considering na ChemEng student siya. Sobrang biglang naappreciate ko nang sobra iyong pagpunta niya sa akin instead na matulog na lang talaga siya.

Nang makaalis na si Marcus, nireplyan ko na si Matt. I really didn't want to talk to him right now, but I figured I needed to take the higher road. Ayoko naman na pati kami maging magulo.

Magrereply pa lang sana ako nang magulat ako na nasa harap ko na bigla si Matt at Simon.

"Siya ba? Siya ba?" Simon said.

"Pinapanood niyo ba kami?" naniningkit na mata na sabi ko dahil parang sobrang timing naman yata na bigla na lang silang lumapit nung saktong umalis si Marcus!

"Siya ba?" ulit si Simon. Para siyang bata na nagtatanong!

"Ano iyong mga sinasabi nung mga babae na magkasama kayo?" Matt asked.

I stared at them seriously. "Bakit niyo ba kailangang malaman?" I asked.

"Joey, siya ba?!" naiinis na sabi ni Simon dahil walang pumapansin sa kanya.

I glared at him. Ang kulit! "Siya nga! Siya nga 'yung Marcus na hinahanap niyo sa school! Masaya ka na?!" Pagkatapos kong sabihin iyon, nilabas ni Simon iyong phone niya at saka nakita ko na sinearch niya sa facebook si Marcus. Napailing na lang ako.

"Ano'ng meron sa inyo, Joey?" Matt asked.

"Wala," I replied kasi wala naman talaga. Why do people assume na porke may babae at lalaking magkasama, may something na agad? Bakit ba napaka-dumi ng isip ng mga tao?

"At saka kung meron man, ano naman?" I continued.

Napaawang iyong labi ni Matt. "Paano kayo ni Psalm?"

I stared at him. "Wala namang kami."